Short Summary

An educational but entertaining look at the way the eyes' function - includes bit on hypnosis.

Description

Pathe Studios, London.

The eyes - "windows of the soul"?

Various C/Us of glamorous model's eyes. C/U of rough looking man with black eye. Various C/Us of model dressed as Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt. Various C/U of model wearing false eyelashes.

Still of model, a photographic camera is superimposed over face - representing idea that eyes are like cameras.

Animated cartoon diagrams of the eye and a camera, drawn by Joe Noble. We learn how both work and both have similarities (i.e. both have lenses). We learn why people need spectacles when lenses don't work properly.

C/U of man cleaning camera lens with special fluid. Various C/Us of model weeping - tears clean the eye's lenses. More animated diagram.

Retrospective sequence. Various shots of actor and actress in period costume staging historical event. They are re-enacting Doctor Franz Mesmer's hypnosis techniques, first tested in 1775. Various shots of doctor in modern hospital using hypnosis on female patient.

C/U of Dr. Mesmer (actor) talking to camera - he intends to hypnotise the men in the cinema audience. Various shots of Dr. M's eyes and the spooky shadows of his hands on the wall. He explains when a white spot appears on screen the men will not be able to move their eyes. C/U of white spot - a glamorous model in a swim suit appears in the middle of it!